The 13th tracking period of NJ TRANSIT's online customer satisfaction survey was conducted August 11, 2014 through September 1, 2014, measuring the 1st quarter of fiscal year 2015. Customers were asked to rate NJ TRANSIT on 42 service attributes on a scale of "0" to "10," where "0" is "Not Acceptable," "5" is "Acceptable," and "10" is "Excellent," and then to identify which three attributes are most important.

This was the fifth quarter with both an English and Spanish version of the questionnaire available to our customers.

Of over 430,000 daily customers who used NJ TRANSIT services during this period, 20,710 responded to the survey, a response rate of 4.8 percent.

System-wide, the overall satisfaction score remained stable at 6.1 and continues to be below our annual goal of 6.5. Overall, satisfaction levels on our Bus, Light Rail and Access Link services maintained or increased from the previous quarter, while Rail declined.

When asked if customers would recommend NJ TRANSIT to their friends or relatives, more than 7 out of 10 customers (75 percent) said they were "Very Likely" or "Somewhat Likely" to recommend. Highest recommendation levels come from our River LINE customers (93%), whereas lowest come from our NY Interstate Bus customers (62%).

Bus

Roughly 60% of NJ TRANSIT's customers are bus riders.

Overall customer satisfaction for our Bus system increased from 6.1 last quarter to 6.2. Some top concerns for bus were: On-time Performance and Weekday PM Peak Scheduling. North Jersey Local Bus customers identified Safety as a new key driver to improve this past quarter. NJ TRANSIT has created a new department to focus on safety throughout our system.

Rail

Ridership on NJ TRANSIT's Rail system averaged more than 140,000 customers on an average weekday during this period - representing approximately 33 percent of our customers. Rail customers' overall satisfaction dipped from 5.9 last quarter to 5.7 this quarter. Some newly added top concerns for rail customers were: Handling of Service Disruptions and Announcements/Information during Service Disruptions. NJ TRANSIT has recently added the capability to make remote automated announcements on multi-level trains during service disruptions to keep passengers informed.

Light Rail

Riders of NJ TRANSIT's three Light Rail lines make up 9 percent of our customer base - almost 39,000 people ride the light rail systems on an average weekday. Overall satisfaction remained at its second highest level to date at 7.2, while the River LINE achieved its highest score (7.8) since the survey was initiated in April 2011. Customers identified Comfort On-board as a new key driver this quarter, citing crowded trains as a major factor. NJ TRANSIT plans to expand the use of light rail vehicles that have 40 percent more capacity to Newark and Hudson-Bergen Light Rail lines in FY15 in order to provide additional seating.

Access Link

Access Link, NJ TRANSIT's para-transit service for persons with disabilities, carries more than 4,000 customers on a typical weekday. Overall satisfaction increased 0.6 from last quarter to 8.3 this quarter - the highest score achieved in the past year. Access Link customers gave increased scores to all of the key drivers this quarter. NJ TRANSIT expects that scores for Comfort On-board will continue to improve as Access Link deploys new vehicles with enhanced suspension support and extra cushions on the seats.

Next Steps

To achieve the FY15 customer satisfaction goal of 6.5 the Corporation will focus on maintaining the key drivers in markets that exceeded the goal and improve the key driver scores in markets where scores are low and customer impact is high.

The depth of the information gathered from the surveys will continue to help drive the Corporation in making strategic decisions in the areas of its operating budget, capital program, customer service and marketing initiatives, as well as its operations and safety and security. The survey also will give our customers, stakeholders and NJ TRANSIT itself a clear window into how the Corporation is performing.

The next survey (2nd quarter, fiscal year 2015) is scheduled to be administered November 10, 2014, through December 1, 2014.

Survey Methodology

The survey asks Bus, Rail, Light Rail, and Access Link customers to rate their satisfaction with NJ TRANSIT on a scale of 0 to 10. Customers gave ratings on 42 aspects of NJ TRANSIT's service, and provided basic origin, destination and demographic information. As part of the survey, customers were also asked to identify the most important service attributes among the list of 42 attributes that they rated. It is important to note that the survey was designed to provide actionable data by identifying specific areas needing attention, allowing the Corporation to focus resources on key drivers of satisfaction and improve the overall customer experience.